Sun protective garment

ABSTRACT

A protective garment that can be interchangeably positioned is provided for covering and protecting selected portions of a wearer&#39;s head, neck and upper body from direct exposure to the sun. The garment includes a torso portion, left and right sleeve portions, and a head and neck portion that may be interchangeably positioned to cover different portions of a wearer&#39;s head and face, including the wearer&#39;s nose, mouth, ears, chin, as well as the top of the wearer&#39;s head, while leaving the eyes of the wearer unblocked. Preferred configurations of the head and neck portion include covering the wearer&#39;s nose, mouth, and ears; covering the wearer&#39;s ears and head top; covering the wearer&#39;s nose, mouth, ears, and head top; and covering only the wearer&#39;s neck. In a preferred embodiment, the wearer&#39;s neck remains covered and protected from sun exposure at all times.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to sun protective garments and, moreparticularly, to a protective garment that can be interchangeablypositioned to cover and protect selected portions of a wearer's head,neck and upper body from the sun.

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Individuals who are outside in the sun for extended periods of time areat a risk of exposing their skin to potentially harmful UV radiation.Fishermen, for example, can be working on a boat for several hoursduring the day and are exposed to natural sunlight as well as thereflection of sunlight off the water. Applying sun screen can be acumbersome process and leaves a residue on an individual's skin afterapplication. Therefore, individuals often prefer to wear clothing orother materials, such as shirts and hats or visors, for preventingdirect exposure of sun light to skin. While some articles of clothingfor preventing exposure of sun light to particular areas of a wearer'sface have been developed, the majority of these articles do not permit auser to selectively cover and protect different portions of the wearer'shead while also protecting the wearer's neck and upper body.

Considering the shortcomings of presently available sun protectivegarments, there exists a need for a protective garment that can beinterchangeably positioned to cover and protect selected portions of awearer's head, neck and upper body from the sun.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

Considering the foregoing, it is a primary object of the presentinvention to provide a garment that protects selected parts of thewearer's body from the sun.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a garmentthat can be interchangeably positioned for covering selected portions ofa wearer's head.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a garmentthat can be easily interchanged from one configuration to another by thewearer in response to different weather conditions.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide agarment that includes a shirt for protecting a wearer's torso and armsfrom the sun.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention arereadily apparent with reference to the detailed description andaccompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a protective garment that can beinterchangeably positioned to cover and protect selected portions of awearer's head, neck and upper body from direct exposure to the sun. Thegarment includes a torso portion, left and right sleeve portions, and ahead and neck portion that may be interchangeably positioned to coverdifferent portions of a wearer's head and face, including the wearer'snose, mouth, ears, chin, as well as the top of the wearer's head, whileleaving the eyes of the wearer unblocked. Preferred configurations ofthe head and neck portion include covering the wearer's nose, mouth, andears; covering the wearer's ears and head top; covering the wearer'snose, mouth, ears, and head top; and covering only the wearer's neck. Ina preferred embodiment, the wearer's neck remains covered and protectedfrom sun exposure at all times. The garment may be made from materialssuitable to be worn by a user and sufficient to protect a user frompotentially harmful UV rays.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention,reference should be made to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the sun protective garment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the sun protective garment ofthe present invention being worn on a user and positioned according toone embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the sun protective garment ofthe present invention being worn on a user and positioned according toone embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the sun protective garment ofthe present invention being worn on a user and positioned according toone embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the sun protective garment ofthe present invention being worn on a user and positioned according toone embodiment.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several viewsof the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring the several views of the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1,the sun protective garment of the present invention is shown and isgenerally indicated as 10.

The sun protective garment 10 includes a torso portion 12 for covering awearer's torso, left and right sleeve portions 14A and 14B for coveringa wearer's arms, and a head and neck portion 16 having an opening 18that may be interchangeably positioned to cover and protect selectedportions of a wearer's head and neck. The head and neck portion 16 ofthe sun protective garment 10 may be made from any material that issuitably elastic to be interchangeably worn about different portions ofa wearer's neck and head without producing an excessive amount ofslacking material when being worn in any particular configuration.

Referring to FIGS. 2-5, the preferred configurations of the head andneck portion 16 on a wearer are illustrated, each covering a selectcombination of the wearer's nose, mouth, ears, chin and head top, whileleaving the eyes of the wearer unblocked. The elastomeric properties ofthe head and neck portion 16 permit the user to easily interchange thegarment 10 from one configuration to another. Specifically, FIG. 2illustrates the sun protective garment 10 being worn by a user, whereinthe head and neck portion 16 has been stretched into position forcovering the wearer's nose, mouth, ears, chin and neck. FIG. 3illustrates the sun protective garment 10 being worn by a user, whereinthe head and neck portion 16 has been stretched into position forcovering the wearer's chin and ears. FIG. 4 illustrates the sunprotective garment 10 being worn by a user, wherein the head and neckportion 16 has been stretched into position for covering the wearer'snose, mouth, ears, chin, head top and neck. FIG. 4 illustrates the sunprotective garment 10 being worn by a user, wherein the head and neckportion 16 is left around the wearer's neck such that no portion of thewearer's face is covered. Such a configuration may be desirable in anumber of circumstances, such as after the sun goes down, during heavycloud coverage, or if the wearer enters a location with roof coverage.In a preferred embodiment, the neck of a wearer remains covered in anyparticular configuration.

Configurations not illustrated in the drawings are permissible as wellfor covering different combinations of selected portions of the wearer'shead and face.

In a preferred embodiment, the head and neck portion 16 is made out ofan elastomeric material that conforms to the portions of the wearer'sneck and head that the head and neck portion 16 is stretched around.

The sleeves 14A and 14B may be long-sleeved (as shown in FIG. 1) orshort-sleeved. The torso portion 12 and left and right sleeve portions14A and 14B may be made from any suitable material for covering andprotecting the wearer's torso and arms from potentially harmful UV rays.

While the present invention has been shown and described in accordancewith several preferred and practical embodiments thereof, it isrecognized that departures from the instant disclosure are fullycontemplated within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment for protecting a wearer from sunexposure, and said garment comprising: a torso member, a left sleevemember, and a right sleeve member; a head and neck member having an openbottom end fixed to said torso member and an open top end, said head andneck member being structured and disposed for being interchangeablypositionable between a plurality of operative positions for coveringselected portions of the wearer's neck and head; whereby a first of saidplurality of operative positions protects the wearer's neck; whereby asecond of said plurality of operative positions protects the wearer'sneck, chin and ears; whereby a third of said plurality of operativepositions protects the wearer's neck, chin, mouth, nose and ears; andwhereby a fourth of said plurality of operative positions protects thewearer's neck, chin, mouth, nose, ears and head top.
 2. The garment forprotecting a wearer from sun exposure as recited in claim 1 wherein saidhead and neck member is elastomeric.
 3. The garment for protecting awearer from sun exposure as recited in claim 2 wherein said elastomerichead and neck member conforms to the selected portion of the wearer'sneck and head said elastomeric head and neck member is stretched around.4. The garment for protecting a wearer from sun exposure as recited inclaim 1 wherein said left and right sleeve members are short-sleeved. 5.The garment for protecting a wearer from sun exposure as recited inclaim 1 wherein said left and right sleeve members are long-sleeved. 6.A garment for protecting a wearer from sun exposure, and said garmentcomprising: a torso member, a left sleeve member, and a right sleevemember; an elastomeric head and neck member having an open bottom endfixed to said torso member and an open top end, and said elastomerichead and neck member being structured and disposed for beinginterchangeably positioned to cover selected portions of the wearer'sneck and head; and whereby said elastomeric head and neck member isinterchangeably positionable such that the open top end of saidelastomeric head and neck member is stretched around a portion of thewearer's neck and head, and wherein said elastomeric head and neckmember conforms to the selected portion of the wearer's neck and headsaid elastomeric head and neck member is stretched around.
 7. Thegarment for protecting a wearer from sun exposure as recited in claim 6wherein said left and right sleeve members are short-sleeved.
 8. Thegarment for protecting a wearer from sun exposure as recited in claim 6wherein said left and right sleeve members are long-sleeved.